Research: the Backbone of the Beef Industry

AUSTRALIA - The newest member of the Beef CRC Board maintains reducing the cost of implementing new technology will help ensure research is adopted by end-users.
calendar icon 7 January 2009
clock icon 2 minute read

Richard Rains, CEO, Sanger Australia has taken over from Professor Grant Sutherland, who stepped down from the Board after three years of service.

Mr Rains is humbled and delighted at his appointment adding it gives him the opportunity to give something back to the industry which has supported him for more than 35 years.


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"If we can just ensure the benefits outweigh the costs, more people are going to want to take it up"
Richard Rains, CEO, Sanger Australia

“Research and development is the backbone of any industry. If we can just ensure the benefits outweigh the costs, more people are going to want to take it up,” he said.

Mr Rains brings a wealth of marketing experience to the Beef CRC Board and he hopes he can use his skills to help the organization roll out research outcomes to industry.

He said Meat Standards Australia (MSA), one of the world’s only meat grading systems, is a prime example of how research can benefit all sectors of the industry.

“People don’t just buy chocolate or beer, they buy a particular brand. But beef has always been just beef. Too often people buy meat based on price. But when they get home they are sometimes very disappointed with it,” he said.

“That’s the beauty of MSA. I know it came out of earlier research carried out by the Beef CRC. But if we can guarantee the eating quality of beef, we can make sure the consumer has confidence in what they’re buying. If they have confidence in it, they’ll keep buying it.”

Mr Rains believes other research projects carried out by the Beef CRC will one-day have as big an impact as MSA.

“I think the other research projects like breeding tick free cattle, or naturally polled cattle or cattle which produce less methane are so important to the industry,” said Mr Rains.

“This research doesn’t necessarily have to cost an arm and a leg. But until we actually do the research there is no way of knowing of how we can improve cattle production.”

He said he doesn’t want to be a passenger on the Board and intends to become heavily involved in the promotion of the Beef CRC.

“I believe if you’re standing still, you’re going backwards. We need research to keep driving forward. That will be my focus during my time on the Board,” he said.

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